QEA Trophy Fourth Round: Day-1 report

Opener Usman Tariq and Wajahatullah Wasti clobbered undefeated centuries that allowed Allied Bank Limited (ABL) take an iron grip over Dadu on the opening day of the four-day QEA Trophy fourth round match at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.
Usman was unbeaten on 119 and Wajahatullah Wasti unconquered on 102 as the bankers finished the day's play at 262 for one after dismissing Dadu for a lowly 102. Usman has struck eight fours and three sixes in his 180-ball knock while Wajahat's 147-ball innings is spiced with 10 boundaries and two sixes. The two put on 205 runs for the unfinished second wicket stand.
Earlier in the day, Test spinner Arshad Khan grabbed four wickets for 23 runs as Dadu lasted just 28.5 overs after being put in to bat. The lanky off-spinner has now taken his tally of wickets in the competition to 27 conceding 314 with his best being eight for 86 against Bahawalpur in the second round match.

Opener Ghulam Ali also displayed his batting skills when he milked Karachi Blues bowling and returned unbeaten on 178 in Pakistan International Airline's (PIA) 317 for two at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi. Ghulam Ali, who has represented Pakistan in one-day internationals, has so far faced 265 balls during his 328 minutes of batting. His innings is studded with 22 boundaries and three sixes.
Ghulam Ali featured in two fruitful partnerships. For the second with Yasir Hameed (64), he added 151 after his fellow opener Kamran Sajid returned without a run on the board. For the unbroken third wicket with Asif Mujtaba, he has added 166 runs with the left-hander's contribution being 59.

Karachi Whites' opener Maisam Hasnain continued his fine form in the competition by stroking his second century of the season. He was undefeated on 145 in home team's 267 for six against Multan at the National Stadium. He has belted 20 boundaries and a six in his 256-ball knock. Together with Iqbal Sheikh (53), Maisam added 108 runs for the fourth wicket after the home team had slumped to 18 for three.

Paceman Kamran Hussain produced the best bowling performance of the day when he captured seven wickets for 46 runs to help Bahawalpur dismiss Pak PWD for a paltry 146 in their backyard. Skipper Saad Wasim saved the departmental team from embarrassment when he hit an unbeaten 52 and added 79 runs for the ninth wicket with Atif Maqbool (36) after PWD were reduced to 64 for nine.
The home team failed to begin their reply because of poor visibility.

Weather spoiled the show at most of the other centres with no play possible at Faisalabad and Muridke while proceedings were curtailed at the Gaddafi Stadium, Sports Stadium in Sargodha, Saga Ground in Sialkot, LCCA ground in Lahore besides Bahawalpur Stadium in Bahawalpur.

Scores in brief (day one of four):

Group-I

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Service Industries: 79-1 (Kashif Nizami 30 not out) vs National Bank
Play curtailed because of bad weather

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Faisalabad v Wapda
No play because of bad weather

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: Sargodha: 14-1 vs Lahore Blues
Play curtailed because of bad light

Group-II

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Karachi Whites: 267-6 (Maisam Hasnain 145 not out, Iqbal Sheikh 53) vs Multan

At Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi: Dadu: 102 (Shahid Qambrani 50, Arshad Khan 4-23, Mohammad Zahid 3-2, Ata-ur-Rehman 3-29)
Allied Bank 262-1 (Usman Tahir 119 not out, Wajahatullah Wasti 102 not out).

At Bahawalpur Stadium, Bahawalpur: PPWD: 146 (Saad Wasim 52 not out, Atif Maqbool 36, Kamran Hussain 7-46) vs Bahawalpur
Play curtailed because of bad weather.

Group-III

At Saga Ground, Sialkot: Habib Bank: 107-2 (Riffatullah 36) vs Sialkot
Play curtailed because of bad weather

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: Customs: 93-0 (Azhar Shafiq 47 not out, Kashif Siddique 41 not out) vs Lahore Whites
Play curtailed because of bad weather

At Country Club, Muridke: Gujranwala vs Sheikhupura
No play because of bad weather

Group-IV

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: PIA: 317-2 (Ghulam Ali 178 not out, Yasir Hameed 64, Asif Mujtaba 59) vs Karachi Blues

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi: 158 (Sheraz Khalid 44, Waheed Ahmad 36, Junaid Zia 32, Jaffar Nazir 5-15, Yasir Arafat 3-50)
KRL 157-3 (Saeed Anwar Junior 83, Mohammad Ramazan 59 not out)

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: ZTBL: 240 (Atif Ashraf 71, Faisal Naveed 61, Mohammad Siddique 4-102, Asif Khan 3-66)
Peshawar 29-2

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January 8, 2003